Another TACO or the end of TikTok in America?
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnicksaid Thursday that TikTok will go dark for Americans unless China agrees to give the U.S. more control over the popular short-form video app.
“We’ve made the decision. You can’t have Chinese control and have something on 100 million American phones,” Lutnick told CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” on Thursday.
This may be another TACO but, this time, TikTok going dark in the U.S. feels more ominous. The Trump administration has repeatedly extended the deadline, but China doesn’t seem interested in selling.
That’s bad news for the millions who’ve built their livelihoods on TikTok. It’s a harsh reminder that if your business depends on a platform you don’t own, you’re always vulnerable to decisions beyond your control.
Own your platform. Diversify. And don’t build your future on rented digital land.